The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-11-02
Destroying a Railroad.

kflUNtu&t ol tbr &Li VI pustHiak
railroads is certainly of more value 10 a
country than that Of the best means of
destroying them but at this particular
time the destruction seemed necessary,
and the time may again come when such
work will be necessary. Lest the most
efectusl and expeditions method of de-
stroying railroad tracks should become
one Of the lost arts, | will here give few
rules for the guidance of officers who
NAV in future be charged with this i'm
portant duty. should be remembered
thar these rules are the result of long ex-
perienee and close observation. A detail
ofnen to do the work should be made
on the evening before operations are to
commence. The number 10 be detained
being. OF course, dependent upon the
amount Of work to be done, | estimate
that LOCO men can easily destroy about
five miles of track per day, and do it
thoroughly.
Before going out in the morning the
men should he supplied with good
breakfast, for il has been discovered that
soldiers are more efficient at this work,
as well as on the battlefield, when their
stomachs are full than when they are
empty The question as to the food to
be given the men for breakfast is not
important, but | suggest roast turkeys,
chickens, fresh eggs. and coffee, for the
the reason that in an enemy's country
such a breakfast will cause no unpleas-
antness between the commissary and the
soldier. inasmuch a. the commissary will
only be required to provide the coffee.
In fact. ii has been discovered that an
army moving through hostile but fer
nile country, having an efficient corps OF
foragers yulgarly known in our army as
bummers, requires but few articles OF
food. such as hardtack, coffee, salt, pep
per and sugar.
Nour detail should be divided into
three sections OF about equal numbers. |
viii suppose the detail To consist Of 5000
men. The first thing to he done is TO
reverse the relative positions OF the ties
and iron rails, placing the ties up and
the rails under them. To DO this, Section
No. l, consisting of 100 men, is distribut-
ed along cne side Of the track, one man
at each tie. At given signal each man
seizes tie, lifts ii gently till it assumes
vertical position, and then at another sig
nal pushes i; forward so that whenlt falls
the ties will be over the rails. Then each
man loosens his tie from the rail. This
done, Section No. ! moves forward to
another portion of the road, and Section
No. , advances and is distributed along
the portion of the road recently occupied
by Section No. l. The duty of the sec
ond section is TO collect the ties, place
them IL piles of about thirty ties each
place the rails on top of these piles, the
centre Of each rail being over the centre
Of the pile and then set fire to the ties.
Section No. then follows No. L.
As soon as the rails are sufficiently
heated, Section No. takes the place of
No =, and upon them devolves the most
important duty, viz, the efiectual de
. struction of the rail This section should
+ be IL command OF an efficient offer, who
( VIII see that the work Is not slighted.
+ Unless closely watched, soldiers will con-
tent themselves with bending the rails
around trees. This should never be per-
mitted. 4 rail which is simply bent
/ can easily be restored to its original shape.
No rail should be regarded a. properly
treated till it has assumed the shape of Il
doughnuts it must not only be bent but
twisted To do the twisting Poe's rail-
road hooks are necessary, for it has been
found that the soldiers viii not seize the
hot iron bare handed. This, however is
the only thing looking toward the de
struction of property which ever knew
a man in Sherman's army TO decline do
ing. With Poe's hooks double twist
can be given to a rail which precludes all
hope of restoring il TO its former shape
except by recasting.-Gea. III. w. S'ocUB,
~ TIE Cdat,'rg